The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-12-20
Christmas Greeting!

THE Joyous season of the HOLIDAYS have again
rolled around. We ask, SIS it possible another
year has passed?'' Time flies faster and faster
as the years go bye and our Christmas greet
ings seem to come nearer and nearer together.
It is a season fraught with various emotions !;
pleasure, sadness, desires and authorizations
rningle together. The celebration of Christmas
should bring nothing but pleasure; true there
are many households that are Swallowed with
gloom many home where last year a merry
light-hearted child made sunshine, is darken-
ed, because the sunshine has given place to
gloom, for the little one has gone hence for
ever. But there are other little ones left !;
make their hearts happy even tho your own
are breaking. Our desires often mar our hap
piness at this merry-naking time. We wish we
could do so much more than we are able, and
often comes feeling of discomfort that we can
give so little. The making of Christmas gifts
often proves burden! it should not be so; if
we are not able to do much, do what we can
heard good woman say, 81 always make
out list of those I wish to make gifts, I put
the amount of the gift opposite each name, and
In this way I manage to come within my
means, and have something for one or two on
the list who are poor and have no expects-
tons; This is a good rule; the class who
have no gifts to expect are much larger than
those who have. We often hesitate to give,
because it is so lite; it takes very little to
bring joy and happiness to the poor, and it is
this class that appreciate our gifts most highly.
But it is bright joyous expectations of child
hood that makes Christmas a time of merry
making and hilarity. 1t is so pleasant to hear
their plans discussed and see their faces
brighten with expectation. How many child
has lain awake at night trying to make twenty
five cents do the duty of fifty cents. One
bright little five year old neighbor of mine
came running to his mother the other morn
ing (who was going down town. with his
Christmas money (thirty-fve cents) to be in
vested. He said: "Now you are to get some for
papa big sister, little sister and yourself I
don't care what you get, but get papa dozen
handkerchiefs, box of cigars, and then get
you all something" Dear child, thirty-five
cents looked large enough to do anything with,
for his heart was filled with good WILL and
that is the true secret of happiness. Through
all the ages that have passed since the star of
Bethlehem guided by its light the wise men to
the birth place of Christ the song of the
Heavenly host has echoed and re-echoed in the
hearts of men, 'peace on earth and good will
toward man." 1t is truly a time when the
heart overhows with "good will'' to all it is
not our pleasure but the pleasure of some one
else we seek, thereby enhancing our own.
May the heavenly light that was a beacon to
those of old radiate the hearts of all our
readers, and the song of the host, ''peace on
earth and good will towards men," find a re-
sponsive chord in every bosom. We send a
greeting to each and all of our readers. May
1t be merry Christmas and Happy New
Year, to our entire Kingdom.